Everyone’s Favourite Fascist Bully Boy

In terms of long-running comic book characters, he’s probably unique. I certainly can't think of any openly fascistic characters that have survived and continued to thrive after four decades in the spotlight. He has though and Judge Joseph Dredd continues to maintain a level of popularity which seems counter-intuitive given his political outlook.

The Comic Book
Like many comic book characters, Dredd’s origins are a group effort combining inputs from original 2000AD editor Pat Mills, longtime Dredd scribe John Wagner and artists Carlos Ezquerra (sadly no longer with us) and Mick McMahon. He’s got a textbook set of elements designed to appeal to the young comic reader - he’s an uncompromising and unstoppable action hero living in a futuristic setting (the mammoth Mega City One) populated by threats both alien and supernatural. The main difference here? Dredd is a street judge in a society that shuns democracy and enforces an authoritarian rule of law allowing him to be on the spot judge, jury and executioner. While the strip itself is clearly satirical (in many different ways - it’s often a commentary on the current times we live in), his popularity is somehow divorced from that. As a reader, you root for Dredd to win even though his methods and judgements are extreme. In theory, he should be the villain, the representative of a tyrannical regime that a plucky hero should be struggling against, but over 2100 appearances in 2000AD and more than 400 in his own comic would seem to indicate otherwise.
An aspect of Dredd’s world that is uncommon in serialised comics is that very year that passes in our world represents a year in Dredd’s too. Given that 2000AD has been running since 1977, this makes the character nearly 70! 
Another unusual aspect is that, other than his chin, his full face has never been revealed. In his first appearance, a panel containing a reveal of his face has a big “CENSORED” sticker plastered over it and that is something that has been maintained for the last 42 years. 

The Films
Unsurprisingly, a popular character like this has been snapped up for the big screen more than once. The first attempt was a misstep in very many ways but is understandable when you consider the sort of character that Hollywood was trying to fit into the more traditional action hero mould. Hence you had a hideously miscast Sylvester Stallone taking of his helmet to proclaim “I am der luh”* in a plot about a family power struggle which is not what Judge Dredd is all about (on the plus side, the realisation of Dredd villains The Angel Gang was absolutely spot on).
Second time around and with a much smaller budget, they got it right (as far as I’m concerned). The small scale Die-Hard-in-the-future plot worked for introducing the character and his world and Karl Urban seemed to have a real handle on what made the character tick, being confident enough in his performance to ensure that he remained hidden beneath a helmet for the entire film. Of course, nobody really watched it so the franchise was once again stalled.

The Future
Dredd continues to judge his way through Mega City One in both 2000AD and Judge Dredd The Megazine while a new proposed TV series (possibly starring Karl Urban again if all pans out) is currently in the works. Looks like the adventures of everyone’s favourite grim-faced, stony-chinned authoritarian are set to continue for some time to come.

(Yes, largely this whole article was an excuse to post my favourite Dredd panel above. Good, though, isn't it?)

* Translation for those who don't speak Stallone:- "I am the law."